Carly Jamison’s début album Everything Happens For A Reason is a welcome change from a lot of the self-indulgent, self-penned, self-performed, self-recorded and self-referencing stuff that seems to get served up these days by your average DIY self-promoter. For a start it’s been recorded in the old fashioned way, with a band in a studio all playing together and, it would seem, having a good time doing it. And, as many of you will know, that’s a real plus for me. There are overdubs of course but it isn’t overproduced. Just enough to tidy up a pleasing “as live” sound that I particularly liked on first and subsequent listens.
There are a number of keepers on here. Bring It On kicks things off on a very upbeat note. I can hear a bit of Chrissy Hynde in here. That’s a good thing because it’s not an imitation – just a similarity. Simple guitar licks and sharp lyrics. Great way to kick off an album.
The album is strong both lyrically and musically. Carly draws on a wide range of influences whilst staying firmly within the American Rock cannon. There’s Alt Country, Southern Rock and good old fashioned Rock all given an energetic workout. The lyrics are what Carly asked us to listen to when she got in touch and in true Maki fashion, I decided to listen to the music and ask my non-English speaking friends and family for their opinion. And you know what? The lyrics are great but so is the music and so is her voice. In this respect The Hills of Jericho and Dreaming, a slower and much more personal number, really stand out.
All in all, a cracking début that deserves repeated listens and probably far more long winded praise than I’m giving it here. An artist with a lot to say and a great way of saying it! Visit her website to have a proper listen.
Thank you Carly. I’m already looking forward to future releases.
Post this and Carly’s website goes off-line for maintenance. Typical Maki…
Working for me, Maki. Listened to the first track so far – you hear Chrissie (so can i, in the vocals), but i’m hearing Stonesiness!
Website is down, but the soundclouds work fine. She has a great voice. Loved the instrumentation on the last cut. Thanks, and good luck to Carly with her debut!
Her voice is wonderful! I really like the vocal phrasing in parts of “The Hills of Jericho” it is unusual and very effective!!!
“Bring It On” also reminds me a little of The Pretenders but I wonder if that is just that it is two girl singers who sing in a lower register than normal for girl singers. But I do like this rocking track very much.
Dreaming is my favourite of the three, I think her voice is beautiful in this and I did really like the words to this song also.
I will definitely check out more of her work!!!
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